Gear-shifting mechanism.



G. R. UNDERHIL..

GEAR SHIFTING MBGHANISM.

APPLICATION FILED APR. 1914.

1,115,878. u Patented N0v.3,1914.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 1.

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C. R. UNDERHILL.

GEAR SHIFTING MECHANISM.

.APPLICATION FILED uns, 1914.

1,1 15,878. Patented Nov. 3, 1914.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

I 12 ve n for.'

GEAR-SHIFTING' MECHANISM.

, Specification of Ietters 19a-Lent.

Patented Nov. 3,1914.: f3.1 1

Original application tiled.E October 8, 1913, Serial No. 7523,986.Divided and this applicationqiled April 6,., l 1914. Serial No. 829,809:

To all who/m, it may concern Beit' known that I?, CHARLES R. UNDER-Hrm., a 'citizen of the United States, and a 'resident of'NeW Haven, inthe county of New Haven and State et Connecticut, have invented certainnew and useful Improvements in Gear-Shifting Mechanism, of Which y thefollowing is a specification.

This invention relates to` gear-shifting mechanism, and especially to anapparatus of this type for use on motor-cars, motortrucks, etc., and theprincipal object of the invention is to provide an improved and' simpletype of mechanism by means of Which all the movements necessary forselecting and performing. the operations necessary for changing the gearconnections from one speed to' another may be readily accomplished. Thepresent application which is a division lof that liled by nie yOctober8, 1913, SerialfNo. 793,986, is directed mainly to the electricalfeatures of' the mechanism.

In apparatus of this type as commonly constructed it is the custom toset the gears to the neutral position When the clutch is throtvnfout'.In case of the failureof power for operating the gear-shifting mechanismthere would under the circumstances be no .way to control the movementof the car.

substantially instantaneous movement that shifts a gear out of mesh withthe one With which it is in 4eiigagement and shifts a gear through 'theneutral position into mesh With another gear corresponding to thedifferent .'sqieed. v

In the usual operation of my improved vear--sliit'ting mechanismelect-ric energy will oe employed for effecting the described Changes inthe relations of the gears, and in the pi-eferredftype ot apparatus alsingle eleetromagnet serves yto supply energy to perform all' of theoperations required Ifor shitting the gears to change from one re-`lation' to any other corresponding to the..

vspeed or position' desired. Asimple type of manualv device is used for`selectingthe position or speed desired and: for setting the selectingmechanism inra relation corresponding to such position or speed ,y

oithe gearing and asingle electromagnet operates upon the set parts toshift the speed changing parts fromthe positionin,

which they are to the new position `'corre-vv sponding to thedesiredspeed.-

These and other features of my inven-v tion not hereinbeore referred tobut which ings, in Which- J p Figure `l is an elevation of onegear-shifting mechanism embodying lmy.

oi' the same with the parts inthe sa'me positions; Figs. el and 5 arerespectively an. end and a side elevation of one ofthemain portions ofthe setting mechanism contrjo1- will be hereinafter described andclaimedv l 1 i are illustrated in the accompanying drawff ling thechanges in the gear connections;

F G and 7 are similar views of the other` f A1,; i

nia-in part of the setting mechanism which controls the setting of thegear-shiftingI` mechanism in the neutral position; Fig. 8

is a detail showing the development of a cam for controlling theprincipal parts of v y matic view illustrating an electric circuit thesetting mechanism; Fig. 9. is a ydiagrama'nd the principal elements ofthe selecting and actuating means controlling. the changes in thepositions of the gears, and Fig. l0 is a detail illustrating in plan themanual sei-- leeting or controlling lever for selecting the gear changesto be made.

Similar characters designate like parts in all the figures ot' thedrawings. v

l'n carryingmy invention into effect I may make use anywell-lnown orsuitable type of gearing capable of` being shifted to differentpositions corresponding to the various positions or speeds in or forwhich such gearing may be set. As'tlie particular. type of gearing' usedforms'nopart of my present invention I' have not illustrated the gearsthemselves but' `merely gear-shifting UNITED .srariis PATENT`OFFIClilgff f means of which the desired changes in the tions of thegears may be made.

. (not shown).

The drawings illustrate a gear-shifting mechanism comprising twoprincipal elements, one of' which is suitable selecting means fordetermining the change to be made in the relations of the gears and theother of which is suitable actuating means for performing the operationsdetermined by the selecting means. The selecting means in the presentconstruction is a sub-mechanism adapted to be set in various wayscorresponding to the speed changes to be made, the setting of the partsbeing under man- Jual control and the setting operations bein in thiscase performed by manual action. The actuating means is intended to comeinto operation only after the placing of the selective mechanism in acondition or position corresponding to the speed or position of gearingto which it is desired to change. This actuating means may be eitherunder manual control and operated manually or it may be under propercontrol and operated by'power. one in which a single electromagnetisernployed for supplying energy for shifting the gearing or gears to aposition corresponding to the speed desired, though the bringing of thepower device into action is shown as under manual control.

Referring to Figs. 1 and 2, 2 and 3' represent gear-Shifters in the formof rods, suitably connected to the usual shifting-gearsThese-gear-sh-ifters, are under the control of both the selecting meansand the actuating means, the selecting 'means being in this case whollymechanical and interposed between the gear-Shifters 2-3 and the powerdevice from which power is transmitted through the selecting means tosaid gear-Shifters. The movements of the selecting mechanism arepreferably determined, and are also here' shown as effected, by asuitable manual device, such as a selecting lever 4, which may bemounted at the upper end of 'a suitable rod or post, 5. In this casesaid lever is pivoted at 6 on an extension, 7, of an annular member, 8,mounted to turn at the upper end of the post 5 to various positions,anda spring, such as 9, will preferably hold the selecting lever 4 up inthe positions shown in Figi). Just below the annular support 8 for thisselecting lever there is shown secured to the post 5 in a suitable iiXedposition an index-head and plate, 10, having a'plurality of indicationscorresponding respectively to the various relations in which the gearsmay be put. Here there are five such positions or relationsV showncorresponding respectively to the first, second and third speeds ahead.the reverse speed and the neutral position of the gears. On the part 7there is also a pointer,

The construction illustrated is,

cam

transmitted by any suitable means to the principal portion of theselecting mechanism. Here this movement is illustrated as transmittedmechanically` transmitting connections, such as the vertical shaft, 13,within the post 5 and having at its lower end a bevel-gear, 14, meshingwith a bevel-gear, 15, at one end of a horizontal shaft, 16, mounted inthe upper part of a casing or housing, 17, which is intended to inclosethe main parts or the selecting mechanism by means of which the variouspositions shown in Fig. 10 are selected and through which movement istransmitted to the gear-Shifters 2 3 by suitable actuating means. Herethe movements of the vertical shaft 13, the bevel-gears 14 and 15 andthe horizontal shaft 16 are utilized to turn more or less a primaryselector, which is shown as a barrel-cam, 18, securedv to saidhorizontal shaft 16. This barrelhas a circumferential cam-groove, 19,which in this instance followsl the course in dicated in the developedview in Fig. 8. As the barrel cam is not intended to rotate but merelyto oscillate through an arc corresponding to the range of horizontalmovement of the selecting lever 4, the ends of the cam-groove 19 arelocated at different points in the length of said barrel-cam. Thecamgroove 19 is intended, in this construction, to` determine theposition of a selecting frame, such as 20, which is mounted to slide insuitable parallel guide-ways in the upper and lower parts of thehousing, as shown in Fig. 3. It will be seen that this sliding movementof the selecting frame 20 is in the direction of movement of thegear-Shifters or rods 2-3. At its upper end the selecting pin, 21, thatworks in the through suitable frame 20 has a cam-groove 19 and throughwhich the walls of the cam-groove operate to slide said frame 2O to anyone of ive main positions lengthwise of the positions being respectivelythe central or neutral point ofthe cam-groove and two other .positionsat each side thereof corre- I spending respectively to the four activeor workmg positions of the gearing to be controlled, that is, the first,second and third speeds ahead and the reverse speed.

The slide-frame 20 shown comprises a pair of slides connected by fourrods, 22, forming a rectangular sheleton frame. 0n these rods actuatingslides are mounted by means of which movement is intended to be impartedto one or the other of the two gearshiftcrs 2-3 shown. There are two ofthese actuating slides, each of which is designated b y 23, and from thecenter of each of which gear-Shifters 2--3, these rises an actuatingcam, 24, with its apex uppermost and located in vertical alinement withthe center of the stud, 21, that works in the cam-groove 19. Each ofthese actuating-cams 24 has at its inner side in this case a projectionor stud, such as 25, by means of which said cams may be raisedvertically. Each of these actuating-slides and its cam 24 corresponds toone of the gearshifters 2 3, one of said cams 24 being intended tocoperate with one of said gearshifters and the other of said cams withthe other gear-shifter. According as one or the other of these slides 23is raised vto the proper extent one or the other of the gear- Shifters 23 will be moved lengthwise. As shown, each of said gear-Shifters hasthree positions in Aany one of which it may be held by a suitablespring-pressed detent, such as 26, (see -Fig. 2) the construction shownbeing lv one in which either gear-shifter is moved when selected from' acentral or neutral position tothe right or to the left, as

the casemay be, according to the position of the pointof thecorresponding actuator` cam 24, to anl active or workin positioncontrolling a correspondingposition of the gearing.

Which one of the two actuating cams 24 will be raised to move itsgear-shifter 2 or 3 to one side or the other of the central neu- "tralposition will depend upon the positions of certain other parts of theselecting means. Here not only is the primary selector or barrel-cam 18operated by the turning of the horizontal shaft 16 when theselecting-lever 4 is turned but a second selector for determining whichone of the two actuating cams 24 shall be brought into action is alsooperated. This .second selector is illustrated in this case as a rack,27, mounted in guides and meshing with a spur-pinion, 28, secured to astud, 30,`journaled in a wall of the housing and also having in fixedrelation therewith a relatively largespur-gear, 31, meshing with aspur-pinion, 32, on the shaft 16.

, Through this gearing 32, 31 and 28 turning movement of the shaft 16 bytheselecting lever is transmitted to the rack 27, which may take anyone' of five diii'erent positions lengthwise of 4the rod 28 andcorresponding to the five positions indicated in Fig. on theindex-plate. Each one'of these five positions of the rack 27 controls inturn a corresponding position of an actuating memloer, such as a lever33, splined on a shaft, 34, so as to be movablelengthwise thereof butadapted to turn in unlson therewith. the movement of tnis lever' alongsaid shaft being derived from the rack through a long fork 27 secured tosaid rack and depending therefrom and straddling said lever near theshaft 34 in all positions of the lever. The lower end of this actuatinglever 33 works in the space between the inner sides of theactuating-slides 23 and under the studs 25 and the space between them. In two of its positions the actuating lever 1s under one of said studsand in two other positions it is under the other of said studs, and inall of these positions said lever is voperative for raising saidactuating slides and cams. In the fifth position the lower end of saidactuating lever. is in line with the space between the studs 25 and isnot operative to actuate either of the cams 24. This intermediateposition corresponds to theneutral position of the gear-shafts 2 3andthe gears operated thereby. v

The parts just described as controlled and operated from theselecting-lever 4 and the actuating-lever 33 when swung up by theturning of the shaft 34, are suiicient to effeet the selection of agear-shifting movement for bringing the gears into operative relationcorresponding to any one of the four active positions shown on theindexplate in Fig. 10, and are also suiicient, when power is applied tothe shaft 34 to swing said arm 33 up as described, to bring about thenecessary shifting of the parts 2 3 and the gearing corresponding to thedesired speed. It being understood that suitable means will lbe employedfor applying power to turn the shaft 34, it will be seen that theseparts control the selection of two speed positions through one of thecams 24 and the gear-shifter 2, and of the other two speed positions'through the other cam 24 and the gear-shifter 3; and it will also beseen that one or the other of said gear-Shifters will be moved endwisein one direction or the other according as one or the other of the studs25 of the actuating cams 24 is over the lower end of the actuating lever33 and according as the point of such cam is at the right or at the lefthand side of a stud or antifriction roller, 35, one of which is securedto the end of each gear-shifter in order that said gearshifter may beproperly actuated by its respective cam 24.

For the purpose of controlling the neutral position of the gear-Shifters2 3 and the gearing operated thereby have shown within the housing 1,7additionahselecting and actuating means by means of which bothgear-Shifters may be moved to the neutral position in advance of theactuation of the gear-Shifters to a new speed position. It isimportant', however, that the gears be maintained in mesh in one workingposition unless power is available for shifting the gears fromthatposition to a working position representing another speed, asotherwise if the gears were shifted out of mesh and left out of mesh andno power were available for shifting them into mesh againy a conditionof danger would exist. For this reason I employ actuating means commonto the means for shifting to the neutral position and to the meansfforshifting to each of the' working) positions, this common actuating meanseing a single actuator, either an electromagnet. or a'manual device, forsupplying energy for positively and substantially instantaneously'`moving the gears Shifters from one working position through the neutralposition to another Working position without stopping at the neutralpoint. In this case the specific means illustra-ted for restoring thegear-Shiftersv to the neutrall position is a pair of resetting slides,

.such as 36, vertically movable on guides,

such as the -long 'smooth Shanks of the threaded tie-rods, 37, by meansof which the cover and the body portion of the housing 17:.are securelyfastened together. Each of these resetting slides has a substantiallytriangular opening constituting a substantially triangular cam, 38, witha locating recess, 39, at the bottom thereof, for locating the studs orantifriction rolls on the gear-Shifters 2 3 in the central or neutralposition.

These resetting slides and cams are intended to be raised-by suitablemeans such as a resetting lever, 40, secured to the same shaft 34 as theactuating lever 33, and having at its Y outer end a spring-pressedby-pass pawl, 41,

' which on the rise of the resetting lever en- 30 l gages the under sideof a suita e projec- .tion or stud, 42,- on'saidresetting slide andraises the same ony the rods 37 to its uppermost position, it beingunderstood that both of the resetting slides areraised in unison by thetwo arms of the resettingv lever 40. On reachingthe top of its strokethe stud 42 slips ofi the end of the by-pass device 41 and thereupon theresetting slides are returned to their lowermost positions, as, forexample, by gravity. In their extreme l upper positions these resettingslides of course locate thegear-shifters 2 3 in their neutral positionsin which they are held by the spring-pressed pins 26. On the descent ofthe resetting lever 40 each by-pass device '41 turns about its pivotwhen it strikes the projection or stud 42 and passes on to its lowermostposition.

`From the foregoing it will be clear that whenpower is applied to theshaft 34 to:

previously positioned in the direction of the axisof the shaft 34 by themanual selecting ...lever 4, will engage the under side of the stud 25on one or the other of the actuating cains 24 and will raise said camand c ause it to operate the corresponding gear-shifter 1n the onedirection or the other, according as the point of the cam 24 is at oneside or the other of the roll 35, which termined vby theeXtent anddirection of the shifting movement of the slide-frame 22, which in turn,as before stated, is controlled by the cam-groove 19.n It will benoticed that this cam-groove has a gradual inclination from the first tothe vsecond speed ahead through the neutral position, while the angle ofthe cam-groove from the second to the third and from the first to thereverse position is considerably Greater. The object of this is toproduce a sulbstantial dwell in passing` through the neutral point.

Suitable primary actuating means will 'be employed to operate the partsbefore described located in the selected gear-shifting positions. Iprefer to use a single actuator for supplying energy for operating allof the gear-shifting devices, this actuator, in the presentcase, beingoperated by electric energy. I have illustrated an electricalgearshifting mechanism having a single electromagnet of the solenoidtype, such as 43, connected in any suitable manner to the shaft 34, as,far example, by a lever, 44, secured to said shaft and having a pin andslot connection, 45, with the core, 46, of said solenoid. A strongspring, 47, is illustrated for the purpose of pushing out the core whenthe circuit through the solenoid is broken. In the present case thiscircuit is a simple one comprising a source of energy, 48, andconductors, 49 and 50, leading respectively to the solenoid 43 and to acontact terminal, 51, supported and insulated on the annular support 8for the selecting lever 4, conductors 52 and 53 being shown `as passingrespectively from the post 5 to a contact, 54, and from the other sideo-f the solenoid 43 to a Contact, 55, the conductor 52 being grounded onsaid post. The select-ing lever 4 is also grounded on the post 5 soythat when said lever is brought into engagement with the contact 51 thecircuit will be closed at that point. At the contacts 53 and 54 thecircuit may be closed by a switch, 56, se'- cured, for example, to aclutch lever or other device, 57, this construction being such that whenthe pedal, 58, is depressed to throw out the clutch the circuit will beclosed at the contacts 54 and 55. This method of control of thegear-shifting electromagnet 43v is similar to that heretofore employed.By providing a selecting lever 4 having @both horizontal and verticalswinging movements it will be seen that the selection of the .desiredgear-shifting operation will be determined by the horizontal swing ofsaid lever on the post 5, the 'gear-shifting' operation itself beingeffected ordinarily by power, and when so effected being due to thedeosition is de- 1,11. asas pression of the selecting lever 4 intoengagement with the contact 51. Of course in the construction shown. inFi 9 this circuit is not actually closed. until t Ae pedal 58 isdepressed. In case the source of energy or battery 48 should fail,however, the necessary gear-shifting operations may be performed by asingle actuator in the form of a manual device, such as the lever 59.This lever is splined on the shaft 34 (see Fig. 3) and has a relativelylong pin, 60, extending therefrom constantly in engagement with one edgeof the ower lever 44. This manual lever 59 is shlftable along the shaft34 to the ve positions of the actuating lever 33 and is connected tosaid lever so as to locate it in an one of said positions as desired.

The o ject of making the lever 59 shiftsble along the shaft 34 is toprovide an alternative Way of selecting a new speed, this mode ofoperation corresponding to that heretofore generally used in changingfrom one speed to another by a sidevvise shift of a lever.

What I claim is:

1. Electric gear-shifting mechanism, compricing` gear-shiftin Ineenshaving a plu'- rality of gear-sh` ting movements, and meansinvludin asource ef electric ener@ ami a single e ectromagnet for supplying emrgyfor el'ectin all of said movements.

:2. Electric ear-s ifting mechanism, comprising gearifting means havinga plurality of gearshifting movements, electrical means for supplyingenergy for bringing about all of said movements,- and combined manualselector and circuit-controller`mov able into and out of position forcontrolling i said gear-shitting movements selectively and into and outof position for inuencing the circuit ofsaid electrical means.

3. Electric ar-shifting mechanism, comprising gearlifting means having aplurality of gear-shiftingmovements, electrical means for supplyingenergy for bringing about all of said movements, and a combined manualselector and circuit-controller movable in one path :for controllingsaid gearshitine movements selectively and movable in another path forinfiuencing the circuit of said electrical means.

4. Electric Dear-shifting mechanism, comnrising gearifting means, anelectric circuit including a source of energy and an electromagnet forsup lying energy for operating said gear-shiL ing means to differentpositions representing'dierent speed relations, and a clutch-operatingdevice for controlling said circuit. g

5. Electric gea1=shifting mechanism, com prising gear-shiftin meanshaving a plurality of ear-.shi ing movements, and means inclu g a sourceof electric energy, an electromagnet and a single circuit-closer forsupplying energy for effecting all ci. said movements.

Signed at New Haven .in the county of. New Havenand State of Connecticutthis 30th day of March A. D. 19145.

CHARLES R. UNDEBl-IILL.

Witnessesa EVA M. Viena, Many A. Mmirny.

Gomes o! this patent may be obtained for ave cents each, by addressingthe Soumissions: et Intenta Washington, D.

